Drisana fell into soft earth and debris that helped in not cracking her bones. She groaned and sat up, looking around in the dark. The stifled air felt suffocating and the pitch black darkness made it impossible to see anything. She saw the torch laying a little far away almost at the verge of extinguishing. She got hold of it and maneuvered it to stop the lightening from going out.

As she stood and looked around, she started to call out for Nakul and Dridhaksh. But no one replied back. She was in some sort of a long cave, she guessed as it was impossible to see far. Fear started to drip slowly into her as there was no sign of her brother or Nakul in close proximity. Drisana contemplated either to stand there only or move forward to find them and if so, in which direction to move. This torch wasn't going to support for long too. So she decided to move to find them.

Drisana was treading carefully through the cave. The torch in her hand provided little light in this pitch black dark. She gulped in fear. Sweat was trickling down her face. Where was Nakul and Dridhaksh? If something happened to them, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. No. Nothing could happen to them. They must be around somewhere. She just needed to find. Drisana never had claustrophobia. But at this moment, confined in this dark cave, she felt fear unlike anything. She tried to calm herself as she proceeded further into the cave.

Suddenly she felt a presence behind her. She turned slowly to find no one. But the feeling continued, like someone was standing right beside her. Thinking it was just an illusion of her freaked out mind, she continued walking.

After walking for a while and continuously calling out for Dridhaksh and Nakul, she narrowed her eyes as she saw something moving towards her. As it came closer Drisana's eyes widened seeing a snake flying towards her and she stumbled at the left side to avoid it. But the torch fell from her hands. It went completely dark. Drisana didn't dare to move. The snake must be around somewhere. She hated snakes. Her fear froze her in place. The air was heavy with rotting smell now. And it was getting heavier with every passing moment. Drisana heard closely for any sounds, to get an idea of the snake's position. But there was a stillness in the air that was only broken by her heavy breathing. After what seemed like forever, she decided to move. But she couldn't decide in which direction she should go. Feeling the cave wall for support she moved carefully in one direction.

The smell of rotting flesh got stronger. After a while she saw something. Something red. Glowing in the dark. A pair of eyes. Drisana's heart caught in her throat. One, two, three and many. The eyes were fixed on her. Coming closer to her. Hunger and anger two deadly combination mixed on those gazes. As the eyes got closer to her, she felt something wrapping around her legs and sliding upwards. Her mind screamed what it was as it got upwards in front of her face. Two glowing eyes of the snake stared at her with open mouth ready to bite her while squeezing her tightly.

"Nakulllllllll!!!"

"Vrisha, I love your Kundals (earrings). Where have you gotten these?" Subhadra asked. They were on their way to the temple. They found the Palanquin and horses of Drisana's troupe with some guards at a distance from the temple. They left theirs too and was walking the rest of the way.

"Nowhere. These have been with me forever." Karna replied.

"But someone must have gotten these for you. Your parents?" Subhadra asked confusingly.

"No. My Kavach and Kundal (armour and earrings) has always been with me since birth." Karna said.

"Since birth? Strange. Wait. Which Kavach are you talking about?" Subhadra asked.

"It appears only when I'm in danger." Karna replied with a sigh. He was trying to stay away from Subhadra since the first day. But every time their path crossed somehow.

"I want to see it." Subhadra demanded exitedly. Karna frowned hearing her.

"So you want me to be in danger?" Karna asked raising his eyebrows and Subhadra nodded smiling sweetly at him. Karna shook his head. He got out a dagger and raised it in air. Subhadra's eyes widened watching the dagger. As Karna brought it down, Subhadra closed her eyes tightly. As she opened her eyes, she saw Karna's golden armour shining brightly and protecting his chest and abdomen. After a while it started to disappear automatically.

"Happy?" Karna asked with irritation after it was gone completely.

"For someone who looks so irritated with me, you're really concerned about my happiness." Subhadra remarked hiding her smile as Karna frowned more. "Let's forget that. Tell me about your Kavach. It looks so - so -divine. There must be some mystery behind it. Do you call forward the Kavach to appear or it appears sensing the danger?" Subhadra asked again.

"Maybe it senses somehow." Karna replied contemplating the origin of his Kavach. He had thought about it before too. But found no satisfactory answer.

"Okay. But someone can still hurt you as your head and neck remains uncovered." Subhadra remarked thoughtfully.

"No. No one can target my head and neck. My Kundals distract aim. Even the most skilled warriors miss aim because of it." Karna said shaking his head.

They reached the temple by then. There was no sign of Drisana, Rajkumar Nakul or Rajkumar Dridhaksh. It was empty except for the Purohit. Subhadra did her prayer while Karna went to check the surroundings.

Just as the snake was going to bite Drisana, a sword cut its head. The snake instantly turned to ashes. The red eyes glowing in darkness disappeared too. Drisana was shaking in fear with closed eyes. Nakul who was the holder of the sword, embraced her tightly.

"Are you okay, Drisana?" Nakul asked with a shaky voice. He was afraid too. What would have happened if he didn't come in time?

"Yes. I'm fine. Are you okay? Where were you? And where is Bhrata Dridhaksh?" Drisana asked in hurry. Her fear reduced somewhat as Nakul was with her and looked fine.

"I'm okay. I fell a little away I guess. Rajkumar Dridhaksh must be here somewhere too." Nakul said. They needed to find Dridhaksh and get away from here soon. Those things would be back. It certainly wasn't an ordinary snake. Otherwise it wouldn't have turned to ashes. Something was here. Something dangerous.

"Drisana!!! Rajkumar Nakul!!!" They heard a faint voice calling them just then. They recognised it as Dridhaksh's. They responded back and moved towards the voice. After a while they saw Dridhaksh, but his sword was raised. He didn't look relieved finding them.

"Bhrata Dridhaksh, are you okay?" Drisana asked and tried to move closer. But Dridhaksh pointed his sword at her surprising her.

"Don't move. First answer my question. What was the first question asked to you by Bhrata Dhritimat?" Dridhaksh asked sternly. Drisana and Nakul both frowned by his behaviour.

"He asked how much distance there is between truth and false." Drisana replied with confusion. Dridhaksh relaxed somewhat but grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him in the next moment. Pointing his sword at Nakul now, he asked again.

"Who was your carrier when you were away from Drisana for the past three years?"

"Bhrata Dridhaksh, what's wrong? Why are you behaving like this?" Drisana asked. Nakul got it somewhat.

"It was a trained penguin and five years not three." Nakul answered. Dridhaksh lowered his weapon sighing.

"This is the vault of Pisacha." Dridhaksh said with a grimace.

Pisacha were flesh eating demonic ghouls with red eyes. They liked darkness and supposedly possessed the paranormal ability to shapeshift. They could assume any forms at will, and might also become invisible. They fed on negative energy induced from fear or negative thoughts. They could influence human mind towards negativity, but thankfully couldn't read memories.

"How'll we get out of here alive?" Drisana wondered aloud.

Subhadra was waiting for Karna. But then she thought to find him instead. As she was moving outside the temple, she forbade the guards and dasis to follow her. She roamed aimlessly to find Karna and didn't realise when she came far away and entered the greenwood.

As she was moving through the trees calling for Karna, suddenly a bunch of tribe people surrounded her. Subhadra was shocked and afraid watching these people with spears pointing at her.

"Who are you and what are you doing in our land?" One of the tribe people asked.

"I - I was searching someone." Subhadra replied.

"Who is it?" The same one asked again.

"What does it matter? She crossed our land without permission. Now she is ours." Another tribe man said. Subhadra's eyes widened.

"Let's take her to the chieftain. He'll decide what to do with her." The first tribe man said with finality. He signed Subhadra to move forward and she did without a word. Her mind was fogged in fear and she only kept praying that Karna would find her soon.

Here, Karna returned after Subhadra had gone and found her missing. He cursed her in mind and went to find her. But unfortunately Subhadra was nowhere. There was only one place remaining and that way led to Ingharr tribe's territory. Ingharr tribe's people were known as rebels earlier as they didn't bow down to the throne. Maharaj Drishadvat didn't wanted to annihilate a whole tribe including it's innocent ones because of some misunderstandings and false allegations. So, after much back and forth discussions, they conceded and pledged their loyalty to the throne. But with the condition that their territory wouldn't be threatened.

Dread spreaded through Karna as he found recent footprints on the way leading to the tribe territory.

He went further ahead to find her and it wasn't long before the tribe people found him. Upon enquiries, he got to know Subhadra had indeed came here. He was also led to the chieftain of the tribe. As he reached there, he saw a fear stricken Subhadra crying miserably.

"What is going on here?" Karna asked the tribe chieftain.

Subhadra was led in front of the chieftain of the tribe. He looked at her from head to toe and asked who she was. She answered truthfully, but the chieftain didn't believe her saying royals didn't roam without guards and certainly not in these parts unprotected.

"You'll get punished for crossing our lands." He declared angrily.

"Chieftain, she's not a threat to us. We shouldn't punish her severely." One man said.

"Chieftain, now that she's in our land. She'll remain here only." Another man said.

"Yes. From now you'll stay here and become a member of our tribe." The chieftain announced.

"What are you saying? I can't stay here. My family must be waiting for me. They must be searching for me." Subhadra said frantically.

"Forget your family. They couldn't protect you. But you'll be protected and provided here. Don't worry. We have a shortage of viable female of age. You'll make a good wife to one of my hunters." The chieftain said smiling at her.

"You can't do this. I'm a guest of the royal family. They'll come to find me. My Bhrata will come to find me." Subhadra said with widened eyes.

"No one is going to come. You're lying. Even if you are right, it doesn't matter. We have a pact with the royals. In our territory, only our rules are followed. And our rule is once someone comes into our territory without permission, we decide his punishment. And this is your punishment. You're lucky we are not taking you for sacrifice and giving you a place in my tribe." The chieftain said sternly to her. Subhadra was trying to hold herself together. The chieftain then ordered some women to start preparations for the wedding and told the hunters to line up for some competition to win the bride.

"You can't do this. She's a princess. She came here mistakenly. Leave her." Karna said after hearing everything.

"Princesses don't roam around unprotected and alone. Even if she's one, you should thank us as we have arranged for a swayamvar." The chieftain said and laughed out loud.

"She was not alone or unprotected. She was in my protection and strayed from the troupe mistakenly. Leave her." Karna said.

"Really? Then you failed to protect her and now she's in our hands. We'll do as I see fit." The chieftain said sternly. Karna gritted his teeth. He calculated the situation fast. They were surrounded and he had to protect Subhadra. Even if he raised weapons to escape from here, Subhadra's life might be in danger. Also there were nets spreaded on treetops and around. If he tried to escape, they could still catch him by throwing those and he would be immobile. He would take the risk if he was alone, but not with Subhadra.

"You should think about your punishment instead of her." The man said again.

"Look. Give whatever punishment you want to me, but let her leave. You're making a big mistake. She's the Rajkumari of Dwarka and also special guest of Dravida. If even one hair of her head is harmed, you all will pay for it." Karna tried to reason with him.

"Are you threatening us? Okay fine. I accept what you said. But still she can't go so easily. You were supposed to protect her, right? Then I will give you a chance. According to our rule, the hunters will compete for the bride and whoever wins, will get her. You also participate in it and if you win, I'll let you both go from here unharmed." The chieftain said. Karna nodded after contemplating the offer.

Karna stood in front of a large crater. There were iron bars attached to five sides of the walls. In the middle, a red flag was placed.

"This is the challenge. Whoever gets that flag out of this crater will be the winner." The chieftain announced. "But remember as soon as you enter the crater, those bars will open and the hungry wolves contained inside will be free to feed on your flesh. You can take only one wooden spear with you."

There wasn't much challengers left in this competition after hearing the challenge. Only few remained daring to risk their lives. A horn was blowed to announce the start of the competition. Karna looked at Subhadra for a last time before entering the crater.